Friend or Foe
by Cherry Blossom5
Summary: A woman named Aiybou comes asking for the groups help. To help find her bother. They find him and when the truth comes out they feel betrayed. Minor romance between I/K and M/S! They fight Naraku in the end with new friends.Chap 6 up!!!!!!
1. A New Arrival

A New Arrival  
  
  
Everyone was lounging near a stream. Kagome was washing her clothes with Sango, while Mikoru and Shippo fished. Inuyasha was half sleeping half watching Kagome in a tree. The girls laughed, causing Inuyasha to fully wake-up, but he kept his eyes shut.  
  
"He's so cute when he's asleep, don't you think so Sango-chan?" Kagome said. Inuyasha's ears perked up a bit. She thought he was cute.  
  
"I guess. He reminds me of a puppy." Sango said with a laugh. Inuyasha frowned a bit. He didn't like being referred to as a puppy.  
  
"Kagome-chan, look what I caught!" Shippo came bounding through the creek holding a large fish. He splashed the girls, causing them to shriek. They looked at each other, both soaking wet. They burst out laughing again. Inuyasha heard a thump, which must have been Sango's hand coming in contact with Mikoru's skull.  
  
"Houshi-samma! How many times do I have to tell you no touching me!" he heard her yell. He grinned. The corrupted monk would never learn. He heard a branch brake a little further down the bank. He sat up abruptly. He smelt something that smelled like a youkai, but also like a human. A half-youkai? Like himself?  
  
"Inuyasha is something wrong?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Another youkai. Half-youkai." He said. Everyone got ready for battle quickly. Inuyasha heard its footsteps getting closer. He saw something red walk past his tree. He turned quickly to see a young woman with short dark red hair, walk into their camp. She walked to the stream, and took a drink. He looked at the others. They were looking at each other confused looks on their faces. This was strange. Kagome had an arrow strung, Mikoru's hand on his rosary ready to take it off. Sango had her overlarged boomerang ready, and Shippo was hiding behind Kagome. Inuyasha had his hand on the Tetsusaiga ready to take it out. The woman's small ears perked up.  
  
"I am not going to attack, so you may relax. I just need your help." The woman said. They all looked at her back skeptically. He saw Kagome relax a little bit. The woman turned around and they got a good look at her. She had cat-like eyes, which were a deep purple. Her red hair was in a bob. Her white ears were smaller than Inuyasha's and thinner also. She had long thin claws. She was wearing a pair of black leggings with a black tank top dress over it. The dress went to her thighs. She had on soft leather black boots that went up to her ankles. She was very pretty.  
  
"I have come to you, to offer a proposition." The woman said.  
  
"Keh ,and what would that be." Inuyasha barked.   
  
"I want you to help me find my Oni-chan. In return I will help you find the rest of the Shikon no Tama, and give 4 shards that I have come to have." She said. The group looked at her in shock.   
  
"Also, you need not worry, I have no need for the Shikon no Tama. I do not want it. Once our mission is complete, I will leave you alone. I will do my share of work, and fighting when necessary. I will not ask for your trust, nor expect it, considering that I am a half-demon. I will tell you everything about myself, as the times come to. I will tell you my time I turn human, my background, and why I need your help." She said. She pulled out the 4 shards. Everyone looked at them.   
  
"I believe these belong to you whether or not you help me." The woman said. She held them out to Kagome. Kagome gave a glance to Inuyasha, before running over to the woman and thanking her. The woman turned her back to leave, thinking they were not going to help her.  
  
"WAIT!" Kagome shouted. The woman looked over her shoulder.  
  
"We'll help. What's your name?" Kagome asked. The woman smiled.  
  
"Aiybou." 


	2. Information and Past Memories

Chapter 2  
Pasts and Info  
  
  
"So you're a cat youkai?" Mikoru said. They were settled near a tree. The woman was lying down on a blanket that Kagome had pulled out of her huge bag. She was eating an apple.  
  
"Half of a cat youkai." She corrected. Inuyasha snorted.  
  
"Your proud of that?" Inuyasha said disgustedly from his perch. Kagome glared at him.  
  
"What's wrong with being a half-youkai. I get a taste of both worlds. Plus, I still get most of my demonic powers, even being a half-breed. There's nothing wrong being a half-youkai. You should know. Your one." She said. Inuyasha stiffened.   
  
"So when's your time of the month?" Sango asked. Aiybou faced her.   
  
"Full moon. When's Inuyasha-san's?" she asked.  
  
"None of your damn business wench!" Inuyasha snarled. She stood up and brushed herself off. She jumped up to the branch that Inuyasha was sitting on in amazing speed and grace.  
  
"Listen dog breath! I didn't come her to get an attitude. I came here for help. I heard you were good. I gave you 4 shards of the Shikon no Tama. SO DROP THE ATTITUDE!" the cat demon screamed in his face. Inuyasha was a little taken aback. The woman dropped back among her perch and picked up her black leather bag that was always slung over her shoulder.  
  
"If you don't want help finding the rest of the shards, and don't want to help me, then I'll go." The woman started walking away.  
  
"INUYASHA OSUWARI!!"   
  
THUMP!  
  
Aiybou turned around in surprise. She saw Kagome standing up, and Inuyasha's face in the dirt. She smirked.  
  
"I like that. Can you teach me?" she asked. Kagome turned to her.  
  
"I'm extremely sorry for the way he's acting. I know you shouldn't trust us with your mission, but please let us help you." Kagome pleaded. The cat demon raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I do trust you. My trust is freely given, until I have a good enough reason to take it away." She said. Sango and Mikoru looked at each other in surprise. Demons even half-demons weren't so trusting.  
  
"So you'll let us help?" Kagome said happily. Aiybou nodded.  
  
"Hey I smell a kistune. I know there's one traveling with you, but where is he?" Aiybou asked looking around. She sniffed a bit. She sniffed until she reached Kagome's pack. She reached inside with one hand and brought out a very annoyed Shippo.  
  
"Shippo-chan shy." Kagome said. Shippo ran to hide behind her. Aiybou kneeled on the ground. She picked up the apple she had been eating and broke it in half.  
  
"Shippo-chan. Shippo-chan, do you want half my apple. Big growing demons need to eat. Come on out, I won't hurt you." She cooed. Everyone looked at the girl in surprise. Demons weren't usually this gentle. Shippo poked his head from behind Kagome's legs.  
  
"I'm not afraid of anything." He boasted. The cat demon smiled. She held out the apple. He came up and sat down next to her. She gave him the apple. He munched on it and she scratched behind his ears. He gave a contented sigh and sat in her lap. She held him.  
  
"So I guess your wondering, why I need help finding my Oni-chan. When we were little....  
  
~FLASHBACK~  
  
"Oni-chan! Oni-chan! WHERE ARE YOU!" a little cat demon came out of the bushes.   
  
"Shh, I'm right here." A black haired boy came out from behind the bushes.  
  
"Where are Oka-san and Otou-san?" A little Aiybou asked.  
  
" That youkai that attacked us earlier killed them." He said. Aiybou's eyes welled with tears.   
  
"They are dead! Oka-san, Otou-san!" Aiybou started crying. Her bother consoled her.   
  
"Listen Aiybou-chan, I have to avenge their deaths. I want you to live. I will find you when the time has come. Understand me. If I don't see you in 200 years or more, come find me." He said gently. She looked at him in shock.  
  
"200 YEARS! That's so long! But I promise I'll find you" The little girl started to sob.   
  
"We will be together again some day! I promise!" the boy took off into the darkness. Little Aiybou just sat there for 3 days sobbing. The 3rd day she picked herself up. She had promised to live. Live she would.  
  
  
~END OF FLASHBACK~  
  
Aiybou had a couple of tears in her eyes by the time she ended the story. She picked up Shippo and put him on the ground.  
  
"That was about 345 years ago. I still haven't found him. I heard you were good at finding things, so I came to you. I had some Shikon Shards anyway, and I certainty didn't need them. They only brought me trouble. I wish I could remember his name." She said sadly.   
  
"YOU DON'T REMEMBER HIS NAME AND HOW THE FUCK DO YOU EXPECT US TO FIND HIM!" Inuyasha yelled. She glared at him.  
  
"IT'S NOT MY FAULT I DON'T REMEMBER! NOT ONLY WAS I 6 AT THE TIME BUT HE ERASED MY MEMORY OF EVERYTHING BUT ONE IMAGE OF HIMSELF!" Aiybou yelled back. Inuyasha muttered something like damn wench but it wasn't clear.  
  
"So what does he look like?" Sango asked. Any person who scolded Inuyasha, gave them 4 shards, offered them help, and didn't attack them was pretty good in her book. She didn't trust her very much, but the girl was growing on her.  
  
"He has long, black wavy hair. Black eyes. Pale skin. Sort of tall. He was 43 at the time. He's a half-youkai to." She said. The others nodded. Aiybou narrowed her eyes at the sight of the rosary on Mikoru's hand.  
  
"Still have that thing on do you." She said. He looked surprised, but then looked at his hand sadly. Aiybou got up from where she was sitting and walked over to Mikoru. She sat down next to him and picked up his hand. Everyone tensed, especially Mikoru and Sango.  
  
"What do you think you are doing?" Mikoru said. Sango was upset, because this new person was near Mikoru.  
  
"I can slow down the process of which it is sucking you in, if you wish." Aiybou said. Mikoru looked at her in happy shock, but disagreement.  
  
"You can't do anything about this curse. I wish you could. How do you know about it?" Mikoru said. Aiybou stood up and dusted herself off.  
  
"I've been watching you for quite some time, seeing if you were going to be able to help me. I stayed at a far enough distance that Inuyasha wouldn't be able to smell me, but I could still track you." She said. Inuyasha snorted and grumbled a bit. All the others sat there absorbing the information. She continued.  
  
"I can slow down the process. It will just drain me of my energy. If you trust me. I can't close the entire thing up, but I can make it noticeably smaller." The girl said. Mikoru looked at the others in question. Nothing would make him happier than slowing the process giving them more time to stop Nakuru.   
  
"It's worth a shot Mikoru-samma. If she actually does it, then you'll certainly be happier" Kagome said. The others nodded even Inuyasha.  
  
"I guess then you can try then." 


	3. Mikoru's Air Rip Gets Smaller

Mikoru's Air Void Gets Smaller  
  
  
"So how exactly are you going to do this?" Sango asked. Aiybou turned towards her.  
  
"I'll have go into my cat form, and then the rest is a surprise. But I must warn you Mikoru-samma, this is going to hurt like hell." Aiybou warned. Mikoru shrugged.  
  
"It will be worth it." He said.   
  
"Everyone get behind Mikoru, so you don't get sucked in." Aiybou commanded.  
  
"What do you mean sucked in?" Inuyasha said.  
  
"You can't expect to make it smaller with the rosary on his hand, now do you." Aiybou said.  
  
"Where are you going to stand?" Shippo asked curiously.  
  
"Right in front of the air void." She said. Everyone looked at her in shock.  
  
"But you'll get sucked in!" Kagome said. Aiybou shook her head.  
  
"No I won't. Trust me. When I meow open the void Mikoru-samma." Aiybou said. Mikoru nodded, and readied himself. Everyone stood behind Mikoru. Aiybou starting concentrating. Red smoke started swirling around her. It engulfed her, then with a flash of light, where Aiybou once stood, a cat the size of a tiger stood in front of them. Kagome yelped. The cat meowed. Mikoru opened the air void. It started sucking. Mikoru got ready to close it when the cat started to sucked in, but it just stood there. It opened its mouth. A white energy ball started forming there. It got bigger and bigger. The cat shot it directly into Mikoru's void. When it entered, Mikoru felt a searing pain. It felt like a thousand knives were stabbing him. He clutched his arm and yelled in pain. The cat never stopped. Inuyasha watched in horror as he watched the ball of energy become bigger and bigger.  
  
"STOP!" Inuyasha yelled. Sango, Kagome, and Shippo hovered around Mikoru seeing if there was anything they were able to do to help him with the pain. The cat continued you to shoot the energy at the air void. Inuyasha put his hand on the Tetsusaiga as a warning. Suddenly the energy stopped. The tiger collapsed, drained of its energy. Everyone looked at Mikoru to see if it had worked.   
  
In the center of Mikoru's hand, was a tiny dot, no bigger than a dime. It was sucking in a little amount of air, but nothing to be afraid of. They all turned to stare at the now retransformed Aiybou.   
  
"I thought only Naraku was able to do that." Kagome said in an awed voice.  
  
"I guess not." Sango said. Inuyasha snapped out of it first.  
  
"What the hell are we standing here for! We have to get moving. We stopped for a short rest! Get moving you bastards!" he shouted. Everyone stirred from their shocked state, and they got moving. They had heard a rumor in a nearby town of a Shikon shard held by a weak youkai. Kagome and Sango wrung their clothes while Mikoru went to get the fish wrapped so they could eat it later. Inuyasha went over to the new woman. He looked at her and sniffed at her.  
  
"Inuyasha, what are you doing?" Shippo asked.   
  
"She smells like Naraku a little bit, but only faintly." He growled. Everyone tensed.  
  
"Do you think he sent her?" Kagome asked. She looked doubtful.  
  
"The scent is old. I don't know what to think." He said.  
  
"She made my air rip smaller." Mikoru said, looking in awe at the small hole in his hand.  
  
"Maybe she's just trying to be nice so we'll trust her, and then betray us later. I mean we haven't heard from Naraku in almost half of a year." Sango said. Kagome shook her head.  
  
"I don't think so Sango-chan. I have a gut feeling that she's a good person. She told us all about herself and she gave us 4 Shikon shards. That's got to count for something right?"   
  
"Feh, You trust people to easily Kagome." Inuyasha snorted. Kagome glared at him.  
  
"And you don't trust people enough."  
  
"Ahem, if I could interrupt, we do need to get going, Kagome-samma." Mikoru said. Kagome and Inuyasha sent each other one last glare.  
  
Inuyasha picked up Aiybou and put her on a transformed Kirira's back. Sango got on as did Mikoru. Shippo was on Kagome's shoulder and Kagome was on Inuyasha's back., and they set off the number of their small group increased by 1. 


	4. Entertaiment, Human Forms, and a Wierd P...

Chapter 4   
Entertainment, Human Forms, and a Weird Promise  
  
  
  
  
The group had been traveling all day, and Aiybou still not waking up. They were taking a short rest before continuing to a small village that was just a mile away. They were discussing whether they should try to get into a house for the night or just camp out, when Aiybou woke up. She opened her eyes slowly taking in her new surroundings. She placed a pale hand to her forehead, and closed her eyes while sitting up. Everyone watched her in a tense silence. She noticed this.  
  
"Why did you stop talking?" she asked groggily. Inuyasha snorted from his perch in the tree.  
  
"No particular reason for you to know wench. We should get moving." He jumped off his branch and knelt down in front of Kagome for her to get on. Mikoru, Sango, and Shippo got on Kirira. Aiybou picked up her own black bag and started running at a pace even Inuyasha had a hard time keeping up with. They reached the border of the village in a matter of minutes. The guards kept them from coming in.  
  
"I'm sorry we can not allow you to enter." Guard 1 said.  
  
"My dear guard they're evil spirits lurking above this village. I can pacify them if you let us enter.   
  
"We have a Houshi that comes once a month for that purpose. He was here yesterday." Guard 2 said. Mikoru looked crestfallen. The others except Aiybou sweat dropped. The others turned to leave, but she spoke up.  
  
"That is only but one of the jobs that we do in this small group. We have a Houshi, a demon exterminator, and 2 entertainers." The others looked at her in surprise and then at each other. Who were the entertainers? The guards looked somewhat interested.  
  
"Our master likes entertainment. What do you do." The 1st guard asked.  
  
"Well we do magic tricks, dancing, and many other forms." Aiybou responded smoothly. The others started looking uncomfortable. The guards disappeared for a minute. They came back saying they could come and show their master. While they were walking the small group ganged up on her.  
  
"What the fucks are you taking about! Entertainment. Dancing, magic tricks, and many other forms! What the fuck is running through your brain ya damn wench." Inuyasha whispered in her ear. Aiybou shrugged.  
  
"I dance. Shippo is a kistune. His magic tricks and my dancing should be enough. Then the other forms of entertainment are a secret." She said. Shippo looked afraid for a second, and Inuyasha looked infuriated. Sango and Mikoru looked amused and Kagome was exasperated. She looked onto the setting sun just before they entered the new building. It was quite large, and a man in a rich looking kimono was sitting on a huge red pillow at the head of the room. The others shuffled in.   
  
"My guards tell me that you entertain." He said with a bored voice. Aiybou did a small bow in front of the man. The others gasped at the hanyou bowing before a human. Then they remembered their manners and did the same except for Inuyasha.   
  
"I dance. Would you allow me to perform for you this evening?" Aiybou asked. The man nodded. He gestured to a servant to take them to their rooms for the evening. Sango and Kagome got put together and Mikoru and Shippo got a room. To Inuyasha's horror he and Aiybou got put together. Aiybou didn't really care.  
  
"They must think we are mates Inuyasha-san. Relax. You can have the bed while I'll sleep by the door." She said calmly. Everyone was in Inuyasha and Aiybou's room watching Inuyasha trying to get out of it.  
  
"I shouldn't have to be with you in the first place. We are not mates!" He shouted. Kagome put her head in her hands. She didn't like it that Aiybou was sleeping in Inuyasha's room, but Aiybou didn't seem to think anything of it and she wasn't suggesting they sleep together.   
  
"What do you want me to do Inuyasha-san, demand they give us another room. Listen why don't I just room with Kagome and Sango and you with Mikoru and Shippo. That way you won't have to be around someone you obviously won't even consider being friends with!" Aiybou said her voice cracking at the last sentence. Inuyasha and the others noticed this. Aiybou turned around and they noticed her hair getting lighter.  
  
"Aiybou-chan your hair." Kagome said. It started getting longer and a light brown color. She turned around and they saw her ears disappear. Her claws became regular nails. Her eyes turned an emerald green and lost their cat-like look. She looked out the window and shrugged. The others followed the suite. Full moon.  
  
"Tonight's your night?" Inuyasha said. Aiybou nodded, wiping a tears out of her eye.  
  
"Stupid human emotions. Only thing I hate about this body. Becoming too emotional. So are still against staying in the same room as me, or are you actually going to become friendly, and just keep your mouth shut." Inuyasha, who is still in shock from seeing her transform in front of them, just nodded dumbly. Mikoru was trying to keep from drooling from the beautiful girl. He walked over to the human Aiybou and took her hand. Sango sighed and Kagome and Inuyasha started watching with interest to what would happen. Shippo just walked out of the room to go to his, not wanting to see the perverted monk get beaten again.  
  
"Will you bear my child?" Mikoru asked. Kagome and Inuyasha had smiles on their faces, waiting for the smack and Sango got her boomerang ready when the girl said no. Aiybou just looked shocked. Then she started laughing. Mikoru looked surprised, as did everyone else. Smacking he expected, beaten to a bloody pulp he expected. Getting yelled at was expected, but laughter? He had never had that reaction before. Aiybou was rolling on the ground holding her stomach with tears coming out of her eyes. Everyone started thinking the girl had gone crazy; when she suddenly stopped laughing got up wiping her eyes dry gave Mikoru a hug and said….  
  
"Thanks, I was wondering when you were going to ask. I haven't had the good a laugh in awhile. Maybe later okey dokey?" she said with a huge grin on her face. Everyone's mouth dropped open, and Mikoru looked like he had just won the lottery. Aiybou started laughing again at everyone's faces.  
  
"Oh come on, you don't think I need a kid do you. Hey if it makes you feel better I'll hit him." Aiybou said. Mikoru looked very sad, and Sango, Kagome, and Inuyasha looked like they were going to start laughing any minute. It was a mean trick, but a funny one. Aiybou leaned over and whispered something into Mikoru's ear. He looked at her in a happy shock and then picked her up and gave her a big hug. Aiybou laughed again and then walked out of the room, to get ready for her show.   
  
"Oi, Mikoru, what did she say to you?" Inuyasha inquired.  
  
"Yeah Houshi-samma what did she say?" Sango said. Inside she was raging with jealousy. Kagome noticed this and patted her back in a comforting way. Mikoru grinned from ear to ear.  
  
"She promised that if I couldn't find anyone by the end of this year she would bear my child." He said. He skipped out of the room gleefully, but not before shooting Sango a look. Sango caught it and looked away. She would have to tell him how she felt sooner than she thought if she didn't want to lose him to that damn cat woman. 


	5. An Enticing Dance and Worry

Chapter 5  
A Rather Enticing Dance and Worry  
  
  
Everybody sat in the room waiting for Aiybou to start her dance. Mikoru had the largest grin on his face, but kept shooting Sango almost apologetic looks. Sango was sitting in-between Kagome and Shippo with Kirira in her lap, trying to avoid him. Shippo was acting a bit nervous because Aiybou had told him to do something as part of her performance and he wasn't sure he'd be good. Kagome was rubbing both Shippo's and Sango's back to comfort them both. Inuyasha was sitting next to Kagome trying not to look interested at the dance that was going to be preformed soon, but inside he was really curious. The owner of the home was looking bored like this is something he saw everyday, which he probably did. A soft whistle which only the youkai in the room heard, meaning Shippo, Inuyasha, and Kirira. Shippo saw this as his single, and concentrated on the foxfire. It came out strong blue next to the door that they all had entered the room in. A shadow appeared. Aiybou flipped into the room and everyone's jaw dropped.  
  
A now human Aiybou was standing in the center of the room. She had her light brown hair done up in a tasteful bun with small tendrils around her face. There were tiny rubies and emeralds stuck in it, glowing in the torchlight. Her bright emerald green eyes she had some how made them stand out more by putting something sparkly around them. She had a pair of emerald earrings in that dangled. She had changed her outfit into something that showed her body off more. She had on a tank top that was loose and low cut up top but tightened right above her belly button. It was 2 pieces of fabric one being a bright red underneath with light green gauze over it. She had a bunch of thin sliver bracelets clicking delicately from her wrists. She had changed her leggings for a skirt. It wrapped around her hips and tied off. It was loose like the rest of her outfit with 2 slits going to the knee on each side. It was a light green fabric with red gauze. She had sliver ankle bracelets clinking around her ankles touching the tops of her bare feet. She had on a headpiece that centered in her forehead. The ruby in the center seemed to glow. It twisted into her hair making it glow even more.  
  
Mikoru was drooling.  
  
Sango was disgusted.  
  
Shippo was thinking she looked pretty.  
  
Kagome was thinking 'People wear stuff like that in this time?'  
  
Inuyasha was wondering where she got all that stuff.  
  
  
The owner of the home looked interested in what type of dance this girl would be doing in those clothes. He was wondering where she got all those jewels. And he was wondering when she was going to start.  
  
"Let the dancing begin." He shouted out. Everyone snapped out of his or her daze. Aiybou bowed to the owner. She looked at Shippo and nodded. He stood up and took out 10 spinner tops. Aiybou bent down and pulled a flute from a strap it was hanging on from her calf. She put it to her lips and started to play a lively tune. She started to spin in place. Shippo threw out one top. It flew to where Aiybou was slowly spinning in place. She jumped in the air and landed on the top. The top continued to spin with Aiybou on it. She remained balanced and continued to spin and play, making the skirt flow gently around her. Shippo threw out a second top. Aiybou jumped again and now had one foot on each top. She made them go where she wanted traveling around the room. Shippo threw out the third top. Aiybou hopped on it spun once and then hopped to the other tops repeating the process. It continued like this, Shippo throwing out the tops while Aiybou (with her eyes closed) did various tricks while on top of the spinners. She did flips, spins and patterns. She never stopped playing the flute or broke her pace. Finally Shippo called back the tops. Aiybou jumped off them still playing the flute and started doing no handed flips to where Inuyasha was sitting. He looked at her warily. She flipped over his head. Then walked over to his side, took three steps back and then ran and flipped over Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo, Sango, and Mikoru. She landed on her toes. She flipped her way back to the center of the room where she did a split. She pushed her self back up with her feet. She started jumping in the air. She jumped until her head touched the ceiling, where she flipped upside down and hung onto the rail on top of the ceiling with her legs. She never stopped playing the flute. Surprisingly her skirt stayed where it was suppose to and did not float downward. She let go of the banister and fell to the ground. Right when she was about to hit the ground she stopped playing the flute and used her arms to catch herself. She stood there with her legs crunched to her stomach with her arms holding her up. Very slowly she uncurled herself into a perfect handstand.   
  
Inuyasha could see that the girl was breathing heavily. He could see her arms shaking as she tried to stay up. He could see the sweat beading her forehead. He felt a streak of worry run through him. He looked at the owner of the home, who was enthralled with the performance. Aiybou bent her arms and then pushed off hard flipping herself in the air. Shippo threw 2 things at her. She caught them in mid flip. She was now standing her arms above her head. She had 2 balls in her hands. She hung on to one end and let them unravel, letting two ribbons flow to the ground. One was red and one was green. She started to dance with the ribbons swirling around her. She twirled, flipped, jumped, kicked, and just did anything that made the ribbons around her spin attractively around her in patterns. Inuyasha and Shippo could both now see that Aiybou was now pushing herself to do the rest of the performance. They could her gasping for air. Inuyasha looked over to where Kagome, Sango, and Mikoru sat. Kagome was enjoying the performance, not taking notice of anything wrong. Mikoru was looking at the girl with a sense of worry in his eyes. Sango caught Inuyasha's eye and nodded. They knew something was wrong.   
  
Aiybou kept going for another five minutes with the ribbons. She sank slowly into a split. She threw the ribbons back to Shippo. He caught them and shook his head. Aiybou had her arms above her head waiting for him to throw something out to her. She looked at him with confusion in her eyes. She shot a glance at the owner who was waiting for the performance to continue. She shot a desperate glance at Shippo, who was obviously telling her it was enough. Aiybou glared at him and somersaulted backwards. She got up and began doing a pattern of flips. The others who knew something was wrong, and watched her push herself. She finally caught on to the rail on the ceiling again. She wiped her forehead, and hung on for a second, catching her breath. Her eyes fluttered shut. Her body went limp and she fell to the ground. Inuyasha lept forward to catch her and Shippo put up another foxfire. Inuyasha ran out of the room. The others followed with Kagome carrying Shippo who used the foxfire to keep them hidden. They ran to the room that Aiybou and Inuyasha were sharing. They saw a passed out Aiybou on a futon and a cursing Inuyasha putting a damp washcloth over her forehead.  
  
"What the heck happened in there?" Kagome asked.   
  
"She was pushing herself to hard. She probably doesn't do this dance in her human body a lot, making her more easily tired." Inuyasha replied still cursing over stupid human wench.  
  
"That's why I didn't give her the hoop. Why did she keep going?" Shippo questioned. The others shrugged. Aiybou's eyes fluttered open.  
  
"I guess I shouldn't dance that hard in this body." Se grunted. The others smiled at her except Inuyasha.  
  
"Stupid girl." He growled. Aiybou sat up slowly, and walked over gracefully to where Inuyasha was sitting. She kneeled down in front on him. He looked at her nervously.   
  
"Thank you Inuyasha for helping me Inuyasha." Aiybou said through a smile. Inuyasha looked startled and then growled at her…  
  
"You wouldn't need help if you weren't so weak!" A anime vein popped out of Aiybou head and she clenched her fist. Kagome, Shippo, Sango, and Mikoru all rolled there eyes.  
  
SMACK!!  
  
"OWWW! WHAT WAS THAT FOR BITCH!" 


	6. An Unusual Visit, Romance, and a Friends...

Chapter 6  
An Unusual Visit, Romance, and a Friendship Almost Broken  
  
  
Inuyasha rubbed his still sore cheek. Kagome, Sango, and Miroku looked at him with amused eyes. 2 days and the handprint was still there.  
  
"She didn't have to smack me that hard!" Inuyasha grumbled. The 3 humans started to chuckle. Aiybou sent him a glare over her shoulder and went back to listening to Shippo, who was telling her all about their adventures. Inuyasha sighed. Little brat always got the best treatment from everyone. Especially Kagome. He looked at her through the curtain of hair that was hanging in his face. She was talking animatedly with Sango about something that had happened in her time. He blushed. He felt the wind shift and then took a sniff at the air. He smelled the hated scent that always brought trouble. Up ahead he saw Aiybou sniff and turn around. She had a look of utmost joy on her face.   
  
"Inuyasha, I sense Shikon shards. Close by and coming fast." Kagome said.  
  
"I know, I can smell him. It's that fucking bastard…"  
  
"KOUGA!!" Aiybou shouted. Everyone looked at her in surprise. A whirlwind appeared in camp right behind Aiybou. It stopped showing the wolf youkai. He looked around spotting 2 people that he liked. One, which he saw every now and then, and one he saw once every blue moon.  
  
"Aiybou?" he asked in a soft voice. She turned around, eyes sparkling. Shippo scampered out of her grasp and ran to hide behind Kagome.  
  
"KOUGA!" Aiybou jumped and flung her arms around Kouga's neck. He put his arms around her waist and spun around laughing. Everyone else who was watching this event had their mouths open and question marks all over their heads.  
  
"What are you doing with them Aiybou?" Kouga asked once they had stopped spinning.  
  
"They're helping me find my bother!" She said excitedly.  
  
"You're still looking?"   
  
"I know it's been a long time, but I have a feeling I'm getting closer."  
  
"That's good."   
  
"What are you doing here. Last time I saw you was….. when we were still just children. I was 16 you were 18! No that wasn't the last time…… it was about 50 years ago. Wasn't it? Oh well! Were together now!" Aiybou said very fast. Kouga grinned good-naturedly. He then noticed Kagome. He ran over to her very fast taking her hands in his. Kagome was still too shocked to register anything, especially Inuyasha's low-pitched growl.  
  
"The reason I'm here is to take my woman!" He declared proudly. Aiybou squealed.  
  
"YAY! You finally decided on a mate! I thought you would never get to having pups! Kagome is a very good choice. You are very lucky Kagome!" Aiybou went over and hugged Kagome and then Kouga. Kagome blushed fiercely at the thought of mating Kouga. Everyone else had sweat drops and was backing away from the steaming hanyou who had surprisingly kept quite until now. Aiybou noticed this and looked between Kagome and then Inuyasha. What she had just done clicked in her head, and she backed up for the explosion. Inuyasha reached forward and jerked Kagome out of Kouga's grasp so fast that it was blurred. Kagome blinked, and then blushed when she felt herself pressed against Inuyasha's chest. She turned around in his grasp to see everyone gaping at them and Aiybou looking apologetic.   
  
"Keep your fucking hands off of her you bastard!" Inuyasha shouted. Kouga looked at Aiybou who looked at him with an almost desperation in them.  
  
"She's mine dog turd."   
  
"Like hell." Inuyasha said as he pulled her closer.  
  
"Well you haven't mated her yet meaning that she isn't yours. Meaning I can take her." Kouga said. Kagome turned an even deeper shade of red. She looked at Inuyasha's face, which had turned a light shade of pink.  
  
"She's too young." Inuyasha said in a soft voice. Kagome gasped, but didn't pull away. Sango and Miroku grinned at each other. Shippo tilted his head and looked confused.  
  
"Kouga…" Aiybou said from behind their backs. They turned around.  
  
"What is it?" he asked. Aiybou smiled and took his hand.  
  
"Umm… instead of fighting Inuyasha why don't you just hang around us for a little while so you and I can talk. I… uh… have to tell you something." She stuttered. Everyone looked at her in surprise. It was like she was trying to prevent the 2 men from fighting over Kagome.   
  
"But you know if someone challenges my claim over a woman that I have to fight them." Kouga said looking confused. Why was his friend telling him to not fight his enemy. Aiybou looked at him with guilty eyes and then flicked her gaze over to where Inuyasha and Kagome were standing. Kagome was looking at her gratefully and Inuyasha with confusion.  
"I know that…. I… uh… just… don't think that.. uh Kagome wants you to fight! Yeah that's it. Kagome doesn't like fighting. Especially when it involves her. And….. umm…. I don't like it when you fight either. I… uh get worried." Aiybou said trying to make an excuse. Kouga looked to Kagome for some sort of reassurance in those words. Kagome's eyes flicked to Aiybou, who was making gestures behind Kouga's head to make her say yes. Kagome flicked her eyes to Inuyasha who just shrugged. She looked back at Kouga and nodded.   
  
"Well then I guess I could just hang around for awhile. I have to make sure dog turd doesn't touch her." Kouga said grinning self assuredly. Aiybou rolled her eyes, but took Kouga's hand and pulled him away from the group so they could talk. The others stared after them in confused shock.  
  
"What was that?" Shippo squeaked out. Sango and Miroku looked at each other but redirected their attention to Kagome and Inuyasha, who had still not let her go. They were staring after the to youkai that had just them. Sango made a motion that they should give them some privacy. He nodded and grabbed Shippo and walked away, much to the kits disappointment. Inuyasha finally noticed that he was still holding Kagome and broke apart from her abruptly. She looked at him with a slight blush on her cheeks.  
  
"Umm…I…that is.." Inuyasha stumbled over his words. He remembered what he said very clearly and he couldn't take it back without hurting Kagome.  
  
"Did you mean it?" Kagome asked suddenly, cutting off his rambling. He blushed a deep red and looked away.  
  
"Mean what?" he asked trying to put this conversation off as long as possible.  
  
"That the only reason you and I weren't…..mated….was because I was too young?" She stuttered out. Inuyasha turned a brilliant shade of red and found the sky very interesting. Kagome got tired of waiting and placed a hand on his cheek. His eyes shot towards hers.   
  
"Did you or did you not mean it?" she asked softly. Inuyasha placed his hand on hers on his cheek. Not trusting his voice he nodded yes. Kagome's eyes lighted up with happiness and see stood on tiptoe to bring her lips in contact with his. Inuyasha just stood there for a minute and then wound his arms around her waist. He pulled her up higher lifting her off her feet. That increased the deepness of the kiss. Inuyasha licked the rim of her lips asking for entrance. Kagome obliged darting her tongue to meet his. Inuyasha broke off the kiss with a gasp, running a claw lightly down Kagome's cheek. She stared at him through heavy lidded eyes with happiness adoration and….love?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"So what did you need to tell me?" Kouga asked as they sat by a stream not to far off from where they had been before. Aiybou looked into the water at her reflection.  
  
"Kouga what's it like being a full youkai?" Aiybou asked in a soft voice. Kouga was taken aback. Whatever he had thought she wanted to talk about, it certainly wasn't this.  
  
"What do you mean?"   
  
"Like is it any different from what I am now. I mean I've the power of speed, smell, hearing, healing, and all that stuff that a youkai have. I also have all the human emotions, love, fear, hate, and sadness. I was wondering if it was any different being a full youkai." Aiybou said not meeting his gaze. Kouga put a clawed hand on her cheek and turned her face so she was forced to look at him.   
  
"What's wrong with you. You've never acted like this before. Are you upset by being a half youkai?" Kouga asked in a gruff voice. Aiybou pulled away from his grasp.   
  
"Of course not. I just asked a simple question." She huffed getting angry.  
  
"It's the way you asked it!" Kouga rising to meet the challenge in her voice.  
  
"How did I ask it Kouga!" Aiybou shouted.  
  
"You were all depressed and looked all stupid and sappy. Not acting tough at all!" Kouga stood up. Aiybou followed the suite, both getting in each other's faces.  
  
"I AM TOUGH!"   
  
"YOU AREN'T ACTING LIKE IT!"   
  
"DON'T YOU DARE YELL AT ME!"  
  
"YOUR YELLING AT ME!"  
  
"JUST SHUT UP!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Back at the camp that Miroku, Sango, and Shippo set up Inuyasha and Kagome walked in holding hands. The 2 humans shared a small private smile. Suddenly they heard yelling.  
  
"I AM TOUGH!" they heard Aiybou shout.  
  
"YOU AREN'T ACTING LIKE IT!" they heard Kouga shout back. They all winced. Looked like the short-lived peace was going to be destroyed.   
  
"I thought they were friends?" Shippo said in a confused voice.  
  
"Looks like Kouga did something to piss her off." Inuyasha said pulling Kagome closer.  
  
"DON'T YOU DARE YELL AT ME!"  
  
"YOUR YELLING AT ME!"  
  
"JUST SHUT UP!"  
  
"Sounds like Inuyasha and Kagome when they're fighting." Sango thought out loud. Everyone chuckled.  
  
"I DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO SOMEONE WEAKER THAN ME!" Everyone grimaced when they heard a smack vibrating off the forest. Then they all grinned at each other. Kouga got smacked.  
  
"I've never said that before." Inuyasha commented. Kagome gave him a look.  
  
"You've come pretty close." She said shooting him a halfhearted glare. She stopped though when she saw Aiybou come running back into camp. She had her hands in her face. She grabbed her bag, and ran back out of camp.   
  
"Aiybou!" Kagome shouted after her, but she was already gone. Kouga rushed into the camp about 5 seconds later. He looked around wide-eyed.  
  
"I didn't mean to. It was an accident. I just got angry." He whispered. Then he took off in the direction of Aiybou's scent. The group looked at each other in confusion.  
  
"What do you think could have made Aiybou cry?" Miroku asked. Everyone shrugged.  
  
"I didn't see a handprint on Kouga's face." Shippo commented. Everyone looked at each other.  
  
"Now that you mention it I didn't see one either. You don't think…." Kagome's voice trailed off.  
  
"That Kouga smacked her?" Sango finished.  
  
"That would explain the crying" Inuyasha said in an angry voice.  
  
He smelled Aiybou coming fast in his direction. He put Kagome to the side quickly so she wouldn't get hurt. Aiybou burst into the camp with Kouga hot on her heels. To there surprise Kouga couldn't seem to catch her. Aiybou ran right into Inuyasha, not looking where she was going. She looked up, and he was surprised to see that her eyes were red rimed with tears pouring out. Her face was all blotchy from crying and there was a light red handprint on her cheek. She thought it safe in Inuyasha's arms and proceeded to cry her eyes out on his haori. He looked at Kagome desperately, who made a motion for him to comfort her. Inuyasha tentatively put his arms around her and patted her back soothingly. Kouga looked outraged.  
  
"LET GO OF HER YOU STUPID ASSHOLE!" he shouted. He made an attempt to pull her out of his arms. Inuyasha pulled her out of Kouga's reach and put her with Kagome, where the girl promptly started crying into Kagome's shirt. Inuyasha turned to Kouga.  
  
"It's obvious she can't talk to you right now. Whatever you said or did was bad enough that she can even outrun you. Go away. Come back later. I don't care. Just leave her alone and us." Inuyasha said. Kouga opened his mouth to reply, but Aiybou cut him off.  
  
"He's right! I can't even look at you right now. Just go away Kouga!" Aiybou sobbed. Kouga looked at her and then at everyone who looked ready to defend the girl. He sighed and slumped his shoulders.  
  
"I'm sorry Aiybou. I didn't mean to hit you. I just got so angry. You know where to find me if you ever stop being angry." Kouga said. He turned around and got ready to run, but Aiybou made a sound in her throat that made stop.  
  
"I'll see you later Kouga." He turned around and saw Aiybou smiling at him. He smiled a small smile back, but then got his high and mighty act back together, and ran off leaving a dust pile in back of him. Everyone stared at Aiybou. Hadn't she just said she couldn't even look at him. She looked up at them and wiped her tears away. She got up and brushed herself off. She jumped up into the nearest tree on a low branch so she could still watch them. She sighed and settled down for a nap. Her eyes fluttered shut, but before she fell asleep she said…  
  
"All I wanted him to do was apologize." 


End file.
